Pre-assembly of casework components in shipping container

ABSTRACT

A system and method for pre-assembly of interior casework components for a wall space of a dwelling unit employs a container box formed as a rigid container shell in a quadrangular shape sized to fit through a standard minimum door opening of a dwelling unit. The container shell is formed by a bottom panel, upright side panels, top panel, rear panel, and removable front cover panel joined together by fastener members. The container box is mounted on roller wheels for delivery in a dwelling unit. A plurality of casework components are pre-assembled in the container shell and are installed in place when the container box is positioned in the dwelling unit. The container box may be formed as a half-height system of upper or lower casework components, and may be combined with other container box systems modularly.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a system and method for pre-assembly of interior casework components for installation in the construction industry, particularly for use by contractors, developers, architects, building owners, homeowners and occupants of dwellings units.

BACKGROUND ART

The predominant industry standard method to construct kitchens and bathrooms has many disadvantages requiring the assembly of different kitchen, bath and wet bar components on a jobsite by different tradespersons required at different phases of the construction process. These materials include upper and lower cabinets, countertops, toe kicks, back splashes, wainscots, appliances, plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, kitchen accessories, and flooring materials. These materials require separate fabrication in various larger factories or smaller shops. The items are individually packaged to protect the materials during transport to the construction jobsite, from inclement weather and trade damage. Upon delivery, these materials require un-packaging of these individual protective layers, requiring on site labor, hauling and disposal cost for removal to waste disposal areas or landfills. This protective packaging is often made of wood or cardboard materials which deplete our forests or foam or plastic materials which are resistant to decomposition which is harmful to our environment.

After the un-packing process, manual labor is required to carry these materials to the final location of the kitchens and bathrooms within the building. The piece meal installation of individual lower and upper cabinets require that each have to be leveled and aligned both vertically and horizontally prior to the installation of the counter tops. Often, the sub-floors are not constructed level which increases the effort. Additional manpower or devices are necessary to mounting the upper cabinets to the walls as these cabinets need to be held in the precise position on the wall prior during attachment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,341 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,219 describe specific devices that were created for temporary support of upper cabinets while trade persons completed the attachment of the upper cabinets to the interior walls. The installation of counter tops requires shimming of the cabinets and sub-tops prior to installation. The installation of various types of counter tops requires a wide range of installer time frames and experience. Exposure to work place personal injuries are increased by the manual handling of the weight of cabinets, as well as countertops that are often stone, engineered stone or other heavy, solid surface materials.

Due to the complexities of materials and required labor and skilled tradespersons, the fabrication and construction of kitchens, bathrooms and wet bars are not traditionally done by inexperienced lay-people, thereby adding to higher costs to owners for contracting work to general contractors. The in-place assembly and installation separately of different components and materials require the scheduling of various experienced tradespersons, including finish carpenters, countertop installers, flooring contractors, electricians and plumbers. This effort of assembling and installing individual kitchen and bath components at a worksite requires an integration of experienced different tradespersons within a time consuming process in congested spaces normally designated for standard-sized kitchen and/or bathrooms. The completion of a kitchen in the traditional system requires that the construction of interior wall framing, gypsum walls, or other interior walls be completed prior to the start of the installation of the various components that are normally contained in a kitchen, bathrooms or wet bar. The delay of any material or subcontractor availability in this industry standard sequence results in construction delays that increase costs during construction. The piece-meal installation of individual components is time intensive leading to potential construction delays to already critically shortened schedules for certain building types such as student dormitory apartment renovations. Different practices by different crews that install the different components can lead to inconsistent quality control of finished kitchens and baths.

The design, fabrication and construction required in the current method of constructing kitchens and baths involving different disciplines extends to include specifications, design, ordering, logistics, scheduling, installation, transport, and quality control. Corresponding tradespersons may include architects, engineers, specification writers, general contractors, construction managers, subcontractors, material suppliers, and movers. There is a high exposure to errors due to the human element in coordinating all these products and different disciplines in the selection, procurement and delivery of kitchen, bath and wet bar components.

The above-described difficulties also extend to the renovation of existing kitchens, bathrooms and wet bars in single family, multi-family, mid-rise, high-rise or other dwelling types. Current problems are worsened by added requirements in renovations, including: the demolition of interior walls to add in wall bracing to support the mounting of upper cabinets; re-building of kitchens, bathrooms and wet bars that create construction noise issues in multi-unit residential building types; use of construction hoists and elevators for the movement of demolition materials and trades persons that creates congestion, delays and longer waiting periods for tenants of existing buildings, as well as constructors and trades persons on building renovations.

The movement of materials and components for new or renovated kitchens, bathrooms and wet bars is restricted by the size of standard doors for building entries and dwelling units. The minimum front door size for a residential unit is approximately 3′-0″ width by 6′-8″ height to meet minimum clearances for federal ADA (disability) requirements. The current method of renovating kitchen, bathrooms and wet bars requires that the movement of building materials and components can pass through this minimum door opening size.

The current art has developed certain approaches to address the above-described problems. One approach is the use of factory-made modular cabinet units, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,999. However, the high requirements and contracting complexities for skilled labor is not reduced for installation of individual cabinets units even within a modular framework. The modular cabinet units for kitchen and bath designs may require that the owner select from among the cabinet designs and sizes of various manufacturers' stock offerings. Modular factory-built units provide quality control only at the component level and still require the current method of design, selection, ordering, transport and installation of individual components for kitchens and bathrooms

Another approach that has been tried is the so-called “pod” which is a complete pre-assembled kitchen or bathroom unit that is delivered to a construction site before the walls for the residential unit(s) are framed. However, there are many barriers to its widespread use. The fabrication of pod units involves the shipping of complete room-sized units that require structural frames of reinforced concrete or metal to resist movement of the various components during shipping and transport. Shipping costs are higher due to the much higher weights and volumes. Pod units require a crane to lift the unit into place. There is also a disadvantage for pod units ordered from a manufacturer that component sizes, features and finishes are all of the manufacturer's one standard type, which may be unsatisfactory to the tastes of different residential owners.

Pod units for bathrooms must contain all the required bathroom elements, such as lavatory, water closet and shower, which may impose restricted size or weight requirements for transport. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,956 shows the use of a fiberglass enclosure that functions as a wet bath to meet the size requirements for transport of a bathroom pod. The entire unit is used as a shower with the lavatory and water closet being part of the shower enclosure. Permit approval of pod units is dependent on local building codes and zoning jurisdictions, which may be an impediment to securing a building permit to use a manufacturer's standard pod unit in different areas of the world. Other issues arise in building inspections for compliance to plumbing, electrical and fire codes since these inspections normally occur during framing of the interior walls and prior to installation of the component elements of a kitchen and bathroom. Labor unions often have issues with pod units as they reduce the need for local electricians and plumbers. The use of pods is also limited to new building construction, since existing buildings have existing structures, doorways, hallways and corridors that prevent the passage of a room-sized pod unit.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

To solve the current problems of time delays, high costs and labor difficulties of installing interior components of kitchens, bathrooms, wet bars, and other built-in casework systems installed in dwelling units, the present invention provides a casework interior component system that is pre-assembled in a shipping container sized to allow delivery into a dwelling unit through a standard minimum door opening size and positioning along a wall of a dwelling unit. The pre-assembled system comprises: a container box formed as a rigid container shell in a quadrangular shape of predetermined vertical height, horizontal width, and depth dimensions that are selected to fit through a standard minimum door opening size of a dwelling unit, said rigid container shell defining a quadrangular interior space formed by a horizontal bottom panel, a pair of spaced-apart upright side panels, a horizontal top panel, a rear backing panel, and a removable front cover panel which are joined together by rigid fastener members at joints between respective facing edges of the panels; at least a front pair and a back pair of roller wheels spaced apart and mounted at respective corners of a bottom surface of the horizontal bottom panel to enable the pre-assembled system to be moved for shipping, delivery and installation in a dwelling unit; and a plurality of interior components pre-selected for a wall space of a kitchen, bath, or wet bar of the dwelling unit that are pre-assembled in the interior space of the rigid container shell.

The rigid container shell is designed with sufficient strength and rigidity to support kitchen, bath and wet bar cabinets and other interior components mounted directly to the interior of the rigid container shell. The container box's outer panel surfaces are made durable and weather-resistant for shipping and transport. The box dimensions fitting within a standard minimum door opening size and its roller wheels allow the container box to be rolled into position in a dwelling unit at any stage of construction or renovation. The kitchen, bath, wet bar, or other interior casework components are pre-assembled at a factory of manufacture so as to be ready for use by delivering and securing the system in position against a wall of the dwelling unit and connecting any necessary plumbing and electrical connections. The rigid shell of the shipping container structurally protects the pre-assembled interior casework components during shipping, trucking or hauling to construction or building job sites. The rigid shell becomes an integral part in the dwelling unit when installed and is adapted to structurally bear the loads of any mounted lower and upper cabinets. The rigid container shell supports the distribution of point loads throughout the entire container.

In preferred embodiments, the movable container box is dimensionally sized to allow passage through a standard minimum door opening size in dwelling unit of 3′-0″ width and 6′-8″ height, or even sized to fit through a 2′-9″ width and 6′-6″ height of a minimum door opening size in renovations where existing door frames may be in place. To maximize use of the pre-assembly and shipping method for a standard ceiling height for kitchen, bath wet bar, and other dwelling spaces in dwelling units, particularly in multi-unit apartment or condominium buildings, the top panel of the container can be made releasable from the top edges of the upright side panels so that it can swivel to an upright position co-planar with the rear backing panel to provide an extended height for mounting upper cabinet units to the ceiling line. Preferably, a rear edge of the top panel is joined by a full-length piano hinge to a top edge of the rear backing panel, and the combined height of the two panels (plus wheels) is dimensioned to fit within the standard ceiling height. Vertical glide rails may be pre-assembled to the inner surfaces of the rear and top panels to facilitate mounting the upper cabinets. Upper cabinet units to be pre-assembled with the container shell can be nested on the counter tops of lower cabinet units for transport, then mounted to the top panel when the container box is installed in position and the top panel is swiveled upright.

Along with pre-assembly of interior components with the container shell, custom counter tops may be selected and pre-installed on lower cabinet units. Suitably dimensioned spaces or apertures may be left for post-delivery installation of components to be ordered by the owner from third-party vendors, such as refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, microwave units, and/or sinks. Finished outer surface panels may be made readily attachable to any exposed side panel(s) of the container box, and toe kick panels may be installed to cover the height of the wheels when the container box is installed in finished position against the dwelling wall.

Preferably, a high-load bearing 3-panel corner reinforcing plate is used to form a rigid joint at the bottom rear corners of the panels. A full-length piano hinge is preferred for forming a swivel joint between the top panel and the rear backing panel. L-shaped right-angle brackets are preferred for supporting the front sides of joints between the side panels and the top and bottom panels. The wheels are preferably of the type that allows for height adjustment to align the components and counter tops with adjacent components. A countertop leveling device may also be provided between the lower cabinets and pre-installed counter top. Snap-on pre-finished outer panels and trim may be used to provide a finished covering for the exposed surfaces of the container shell.

The container box with pre-assembled interior casework components may be combined with other modular systems to furnish a complete kitchen, bathroom, wet bar, or other dwelling space in a dwelling unit. Such added systems may include: (a) another container box with pre-assembled casework components forming an L-angled side and/or an open half-height or full-height system on an opposite-walled side of the dwelling space; (b) a half-height container box with pre-assembled casework components for a half-height system of upper or lower casework components; and (c) a pre-fabricated floor layer dimensioned to fit within the finished positions of two or three-sided container boxes. The combined container boxes may be provided with integrated leveling devices to level and align each container box with its interior components positioned on wheels with each other and/or their pre-assembled countertop surfaces.

The container box may be formed as a half-height (e.g., 4-foot height) container box for more efficient packing in a typical freight shipping container. The rear wall may be formed with a vertically slidable section that can be moved to the desired vertical height for mounting upper casework components in the dwelling unit. For more efficient freight packing and delivery via typical freight hoists used at construction sites, two half-height containers may be fastened together (front-to-front without cover panels) for delivery, then separated for installation in their respective positions in a dwelling space. A half-height container box may also be pre-assembled with a casework component(s) that has a folding section that can be opened to form a full-height component in its intended position.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be explained in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric external front view of a movable container box with pre-assembled interior components to be positioned along a wall of a dwelling unit in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external rear elevation view of the container box.

FIG. 3 is an external side elevation view of the container box.

FIG. 4 is an external isometric rear view of the container showing the preferred fastener members for forming joints between the panels of the rigid container shell.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of an L-shaped right-angle bracket.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of a 3-panel corner reinforcing plate.

FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of the container box with the hinged top panel swiveled to the open position.

FIG. 8 is a detailed plan view showing use of a preferred snap-on pre-finished outer panel and trim covering the exposed surfaces of the side panel of the container shell.

FIG. 9 shows an overall plan view of the container shell with pre-finished outer panel and trim installed.

FIG. 10 shows a detailed view in section of a back corner of the container shell and rear wheel.

FIG. 11 shows a detailed assembly view of a preferred type of adjustable, high load-bearing capacity wheel.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a complete kitchen after installation of multiple container systems.

FIG. 13 shows an example of a preferred form of countertop leveling device.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a two-container box combination installed to form an L-angled system for a kitchen space.

FIG. 15 is an isometric drawing of an alternate embodiment of the container box having sliding/rear panels to create a half-height assembly for more efficient freight packing.

FIG. 16 is a plan view detail of the sliding and rear panels of the half-height container box assembly.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are sectional views showing details of the sliding/rear panels in the installation position and the shipping position, respectively.

FIG. 18 is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of a combined half-height container box assembly for shipping.

FIG. 19 illustrates half-height container boxes pre-assembled with casework component(s) having a folding section that can be unfolded to form a full-height component in its installation position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description of the invention, certain preferred embodiments are illustrated providing certain specific details of their implementation. It will be recognized by one skilled in the art that other embodiments, variations and modifications may be made given the disclosed principles of the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, an interior component system is pre-assembled with a shipping container box formed as a rigid container shell 50 in a quadrangular shape of predetermined vertical height H, horizontal width W, and depth dimension D that are selected to ensure that the container box can fit through a standard minimum door opening size of a dwelling unit. Viewed from an orientation within the box facing out front, the rigid container shell 50 has a quadrangular interior space formed by a horizontal bottom panel 51, a pair of spaced-apart upright (left and right) side panels 52 and 54, a horizontal top panel 53, a rear backing panel 55, and a removable front cover panel 56 which are joined together by fastener members (described below) at joints between respective facing edges of the panels. The container box has a front set of roller wheels 57 (shown) and a back set of roller wheels 58 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). Each set comprises at least a pair of roller wheels that are spaced apart and mounted at the corners of the bottom panel 51, although the set shown in this preferred embodiment has three roller wheels. As described in further detail below, the roller wheels are locked in position when the container shell is to be installed in a permanent position in the dwelling unit.

The container box formed as a rigid outer shell 50 contains one or more interior components (indicated in phantom line) that are pre-selected for a wall of a kitchen, bathroom, or wet bar of a dwelling unit and pre-assembled in the interior space of the rigid container shell 50. The pre-assembled system may be ordered by a general contractor in accordance with selections made by the building owner or architect and/or the intended dwelling unit occupant, and then packed in the movable container box on wheels for shipping, delivery and installation in the dwelling unit. The container shell acts both as a shipping container and as a structurally rigid platform for installation of the interior components for the intended wall space in the dwelling unit. The container shell with pre-assembled components creates a new system and method especially for construction of kitchens, bathrooms and wet bars by consolidating design, specification, delivery, and installation of cabinetry and other interior components, as compared to the current method of construction by a series of piece-meal steps.

The panels of the container shell may be made of plywood or other suitable material of sufficient rigidity and strength. The panels may be formed of multiple or overlapping layers of plywood to increase the rigidity of the container. The rigid container supports pre-assembled lower casework components with counter tops and/or upper casework components that are secured through the rear backing panel and to a supporting wall of the interior space. Threaded bolts at spaced intervals may be used to secure the plywood side panels to the plywood bottom and rear backing panels of the container. The front cover which is to be removed when the container box is installed in its permanent position may be made of plywood, or even a high-strength synthetic fabric or plastic material sufficient to seal the front opening of the container box.

The dimensions of the container box may be sized in accordance with the intended interior space where it is to be installed in a dwelling unit. The interior space may have a standard ceiling height of 8′ to 8′-6″ height, a wall space of 8′ to 12′ width, and a counter top dimension of 2′-2″ to 2′-6″ depth. The dimensions are chosen to ensure that the container box can be delivered through a standard (ADA compliant) minimum door opening size, which may be of about 2′-9″ width by 6′-6″ height (clear dimensions after taking into account any existing door frames, saddle and stops), and also to optimize packing of multiple containers into a standard freight shipping container without wasted space. Preferably, the top panel 53 is joined by a hinge to a top edge of the rear backing panel 55 so that it can be swiveled upright to provide mounting support for upper cabinet units once the container is installed in position along the intended wall space. Any upper cabinet units pre-assembled in the container box may be nested on the counter tops of lower cabinet units for transport, then mounted through the rear and top panels to the supporting wall when the container box is installed in position in the interior space. For example, for a standard ceiling height of 8′, wall space of 10′ width, cabinet height of 2′-6″, and countertop depth of 2′-2″ and standing height of 3′ (including lower cabinets, wheels and counter top), the container box may be sized with an overall height H of 5′-10″, width W of 10′, and depth D of 2′-2″. When the container box is installed in position in the interior space and the top panel is swiveled upright, the combined height of the rear backing and top panels is 8′.

FIG. 2 is an external rear elevation view of the container box showing the rear set of roller wheels 58. The rear backing panel 55 is shown formed by two sections 55 a and 55 b which can be formed from stock plywood sheet sizes. The phantom line indicates the horizontal position of the interior layer of the double-layered plywood, rear backing panel. The exterior layer of plywood is positioned vertically while the interior layer is positioned horizontally to provide greater structural integrity. The container shell is shown using double layers of plywood for the top and bottom panels that are lapped by the side panels for high structural integrity for mounting cabinet components.

FIG. 3 is an external side elevation view of the container box. It shows both the front set 57 and rear set 58 of roller wheels, and the front cover panel 56 with a depending skirt 56 a which overlaps the front edges of the container box panels for fastening the front cover panel to the container box in a secure and weather-resistant manner as well as for facilitating removal of the front cover panel when the container box is delivered and positioned for installation in a dwelling unit.

FIG. 4 is an external isometric rear view of the container indicating the locations of preferred fastener members for forming joints between the panels of the rigid container shell. A high-load bearing fastener member is formed by 3-panel corner reinforcing plates 60 at the bottom rear (left and right) side corners of the rigid container shell. Each corner reinforcing plate forms a rigid joint between three panels, i.e., a section 55 a, 55 b of the rear backing panel 55, a side panel 52, 54, and the bottom panel 51. A full-length piano hinge 61 is preferred for forming a swivel joint between the top panel 53 and the rear backing panel 55. L-shaped right-angle upper brackets 62 and lower brackets 63 are preferred for supporting the front sides of joints between the side panels and the top panel 53 and the bottom panel 51. The L-shaped right-angle upper brackets 62 are removed when the container shell is positioned in place in order to allow the top panel 53 to be swiveled upright, while the lower brackets 63 are kept in place to maintain the rigidity of the container shell which also provides mounting support for the pre-assembled components when the container shell is installed in its permanent position.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the L-shaped right-angle bracket 62 (63). Each leg of the L-shaped bracket is secured by screws to a respective panel to form a rigid joint between the panels.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of the 3-panel corner reinforcing plate 60 with three plate sections for forming a rigid joint in X-Y-Z axial directions. Each plate section is secured by screws to a respective panel to form a rigid 3D joint between the three panels. The corner reinforcing plate is preferably made of metal as a single unit. The geometry for the three-sided plate is designed to resist diagonal stresses at the corner.

FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of the container shell 50 with the hinged top panel 53 swiveled to the open position to be coplanar with the rear backing panel 55. This allows the container panels to be opened to a combined height dimension for mounting support of the upper cabinets (in phantom line) to the ceiling line of the intended interior space. Preferably, vertical glide rails are attached to the inside surfaces of the top panel 53 and rear backing panel 55. The upper cabinet units have roller pins on their rear surfaces that can slide upward in the vertical glide rails so that the upper cabinets can be positioned at the proper height to the ceiling line then secured by screws through the rear and top panels to the supporting wall in the proper position. A finishing header may be installed to close any gap to the ceiling line if desired.

FIG. 8 is a detailed plan view showing use of a preferred snap-on pre-finished outer panel 65 and snap-on pre-finished trim 66 for providing a finished covering for the exposed surfaces of the side panel 62 (63) of the container shell. The pre-finished outer panel 65 has four plastic tipped snap-in inserts 65 a spaced across its width that snap into holes formed into the outer side surface layer of the side panel 62. The pre-finished trim 66 also has snap-in inserts 66 a that snap into holes formed into the edge of the side panel 62. FIG. 9 shows an overall plan view of the container shell with pre-finished outer panel and trim installed on the exposed surfaces of the side panel (detail view indicated in phantom line).

FIG. 10 shows a detailed view in section of a back corner of the container shell and rear wheel. The container shell is shown having the rear backing panel 55 and the bottom panel 51 made of 2-layer plywood. The back panel 68 of a lower cabinet is shown abutting a spacer with the rear backing panel 55. A threaded bolt 67 secures the plywood bottom panel 51 to the rear backing panel 55 of the container, and a corner reinforcing plate 60 secures the panels with 3D rigidity. The rear wheel 58 is mounted to the bottom panel 51 near the corner of the container and at mid-span.

FIG. 11 shows a detailed assembly view of a preferred type of adjustable, high load-bearing capacity wheel. The upper assembly of the wheel includes a truckle base 58 a, bearing 58 b, bearing balls 58 c, and bearing housing 58 d. Screws 58 e mount wheel 58 f on a bearing axle 58 g to the wheel housing assembly. The height of the wheel is adjusted by a regulating wheel 58 h that rests on a support base kernel 58 j of a support base 58 k. The regulating wheel 58 h is threaded and accessible through a slot in the housing 58 d to allow for the adjustment of the height of the container to compensate for differences or irregularities in the sub-floor which is a common occurrence during construction. The loads of the container pass through wheel housing 58 d that rest on bearings that allow the wheel to rotate under a typical maximum capacity such as 1,100 pounds per wheel. The high load-bearing capacity of the wheels will decrease the effort to transport the weight of the movable shipping container and pre-assembled interior components from one location to another.

The container box with pre-assembled interior components for installation along a wall space may be combined with other modular systems for other wall spaces so as to furnish a complete kitchen, bathroom or wet bar. Such added systems may include: (a) another container box with pre-assembled interior components for a half-height system along an open or windowed side, or a full-height system along an opposite-walled side of the kitchen, bathroom or wet bar; (b) a third container box with pre-assembled interior components for a half-height system to be installed at right angles between the end(s) of the container box(es); and (c) a pre-fabricated floor layer dimensioned to fit within the finished positions of the two or three-sided container boxes. The multiple container boxes may be provided with integrated leveling devices to level and align each container box with its interior components positioned on wheels with each other and/or their pre-assembled countertop surfaces.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a complete kitchen after installation of multiple container systems. Section 71 indicates a first container system with pre-assembled components for a full wall space of the kitchen, including a full-height pantry, lower and upper cabinets, range oven and microwave (or reserved spaces), and countertops with back splash and counter splash. Section 72 indicates a half-height container system pre-assembled with counter top and lower cabinets for bridging the far end of the full-height section 71. Section 73 indicates a half-height container system installed parallel to the full-height section 71 and bridged by section 72, consisting of a kitchen sink, counter top, and lower cabinets and a dishwasher or open space reserved for it. Floor section 74 indicates a pre-fabricated floor panel, preferably consisting of aluminum, wood, or fiber-glass backing with ceramic tile, stone, engineered stone, sheet vinyl, laminate, wood or vinyl composition tile floor covering.

The three sections 71-73 and floor section 74 together form a complete U-shaped kitchen in the designated interior space (indicated in phantom line). The 6′-0″ approximate height of the container allows ample dimension to fit a 5′-0″ wide floor panel that meets the standard minimum (ADA compliant) kitchen clearances. The floor panel may also be shipped in a full-height container along with the bridging cabinet section 72. The sequencing of installation of the container systems can be assembled first with full-height container system 71, then half-height container system 72, then floor section 74, and finally half-height container system 74 to form an open side of the U-shaped kitchen. Snap-on toe kicks may be fastened to the base of the lower cabinets (with metal clasps) between the cabinet base and the floor panel to cover the front wheels with a finished look.

For horizontal alignment of the multiple container systems, the container sides may have pre-drilled holes to receive alignments rods to square the alignment of the container systems to each other. Vertical alignment of the countertops of the container sections may be accomplished by adjusting the wheel heights as described above. Final finer adjustments may be made to align the counter tops with a countertop leveling device.

FIG. 13 shows an example of a preferred form of countertop leveling device. A counter top 80 is overlaid on an upper support surface 81 which is spaced by an air space 82 from the upper cabinet wall 83. A metal insert 84 a secured by screws to the upper support surface 81 holds one end of a threaded bolt 84 b used to make fine height adjustments to the counter top. The other end of the threaded bolt 84 b is threaded in a sleeve 84 c of a retainer bracket 84 d secured to the inside surface of a corner wall 83 a of the cabinet. Turning the threaded bolt 84 b in either direction raises or lowers the counter top to match an adjoining counter top.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a two-container box combination installed to form an L-angled system for a kitchen space. One container box 85 (vertically oriented in the figure) has pantry, lower cabinet, sink, and dishwasher components pre-assembled within its side panels 85 a and 85 b, however, the side panel 85 a (indicated in hashed lines) at the L-corner end is removed when the container box 85 is installed in position. The side panel 85 a of container box 85 would not be attached by a 3-panel corner reinforcing plate, but rather temporarily bolted to the other panels of the container box during shipping to allow removal for installation. The other container box 86 (horizontally oriented in the figure) has counter top, stove, lower cabinet, and refrigerator components pre-assembled within its side panels 86 a and 86 b. With the side panel 85 a removed and the adjacent components aligned, the two container boxes combined form a seamless L-angled system. The phantom line indicates upper cabinet components which may be installed at upper positions as described previously.

FIG. 15 is an isometric drawing of an alternate embodiment of the container box having sliding/rear panels to create a half-height assembly for more efficient freight packing. The half-height assembly maximizes the packing efficiency in a standard eight-foot-high shipping freight container by potentially allowing two half-height container boxes of approximately four-foot height to be stacked on top of each other. In the half-height assembly 87 shown, a half-height outer rear panel 88 a is arranged in tandem with an inner sliding panel 88 b which is collapsed on the bottom panel 89 for shipping. During installation, the sliding panel 88 b is slid upward (indicated by the vertical arrows) and the hinged top panel 90 is swiveled on its piano hinge (as described previously) to align in parallel with the rear panel 88 a and sliding panel 88 b. The side panels 91 may be notched (described below) to restrain and guide the sliding movement. The use of the half-height rear/sliding panels also allows greater flexibility for installing upper casework components at different ceiling heights. When positioned in place, the top panel 89 is bolted into the supporting wall for final installation. The phantom line indicates upper cabinet components installed to or through the top panel to the supporting wall.

FIG. 16 is a plan view detail of the sliding and rear panels of the half-height container box assembly. The side panel 91 is notched to allow sliding panel 88 b to sit inside the notch 91 a for shipping. The notch 91 a provides a track for rear panel 88 a to slide in during installation, thus eliminating the need for additional gliding hardware.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are sectional views showing details of the sliding/rear panels in the installation position and the shipping position, respectively. The hinged top panel 90 is connected to the end of the sliding panel 88 b by piano hinge 90 a and is swiveled 90 degrees from its shipping position (phantom line) to its upright position for installation. A gasket layer may be is attached to the piano hinge 90 a to seal the gap between the piano hinge and the end of the rear panel 88 a in the shipping position.

FIG. 18 is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of a combined half-height container box assembly for shipping. Two half-height container boxes 92 and 93 may be combined together for shipping, which allows for more efficient freight packing and eliminates the need for protective front covers. Braces 93 a, 93 b, 93 c overlapping the abutting box edges seal and hold the container boxes together. When combined, the rigid container shells join together to completely enclose the casework components within. Upon arrival at the installation site, the braces are removed and container boxes 92 and 93 are separated to each fit through the standard ADA-compliant door opening. Multiple container box assemblies may be combined in various combinations to provide the component systems selected for a dwelling space.

FIG. 19 illustrates half-height container boxes pre-assembled with casework component(s) having a folding section that can be unfolded to form a full-height component in its installation position. For example, a vanity/sink component may have a folding mirror section, or a shower/tub component may have folding shower/tub walls.

In summary, the system and method of pre-assembly of interior components with a movable container in the present invention provides a new, more effective method to transport material, and reduces the time, on-site tools and labor required to install kitchen, bath or wet bar components in an interior space of a dwelling unit. The combination of one or more container systems can be used to create complete, factory-pre-installed kitchens, bathrooms or wet bars combinations of selected features, designs or styles. The container system and method greatly reduces construction labor and waste resulting from individual packaging and onsite installation of interior components in dwelling units. The movable shipping container is formed as a rigid shell that serves a dual purpose of protecting the assembled components during shipping and delivery, and providing pre-assembled mounting support for the components once it is installed in its permanent position in a dwelling unit.

It is to be understood that many modifications and variations may be devised given the above description of the general principles of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and variations be considered as within the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the following claims. 

1. A system for pre-assembly of interior casework components for a wall space of a dwelling unit comprising: a container box formed as a rigid container shell in a quadrangular shape of predetermined vertical height, horizontal width, and depth dimensions that are selected to fit through a standard minimum door opening size of a dwelling unit, said rigid container shell having a quadrangular interior space formed by a horizontal bottom panel, a pair of spaced-apart upright side panels, a horizontal top panel, a rear backing panel, and a removable front cover panel which are joined together by fastener members at joints between respective facing edges of the panels; at least a front pair and a back pair of roller wheels spaced apart and mounted at respective corners of a bottom surface of the horizontal bottom panel to enable the pre-assembled system to be moved for installation in the dwelling unit; and a plurality of interior casework components pre-selected for the wall space of the dwelling unit that are pre-assembled in the interior space of the rigid container shell.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said rigid container shell is formed with sufficient strength and rigidity to support kitchen, bathroom, wet bar and other interior casework components mounted to inner surfaces forming the interior space of the rigid container shell.
 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said rigid container shell is configured to be installed as an integral part in the dwelling unit with the interior casework components.
 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said rigid container shell is dimensionally sized to allow passage through a standard minimum door opening size in dwelling unit of 3′-0″ width and 6′-8″ height, or to fit through a 2′-9″ width and 6′-6″ height of a minimum door opening size in renovations where existing door frames may be in place.
 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said top panel of the rigid container shell is made releasable from top edges of the upright side panels so that it can swivel to an upright position co-planar with the rear backing panel to provide an extended height for mounting upper casework components to the ceiling line of the dwelling unit.
 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein a rear edge of said top panel is joined by a full-length piano hinge to a top edge of the rear backing panel, and the combined height of the two panels plus wheels is dimensioned to fit within the standard ceiling height.
 7. The system according to claim 5, wherein vertical glide rails are pre-assembled to inner surfaces of the rear and top panels to facilitate positioning and mounting upper casework components thereon.
 8. The system according to claim 5, wherein upper casework components are pre-assembled in the rigid container shell nested on counter tops of lower casework components for transport, so that they can be mounted to the top panel when the container box is installed in position and the top panel is swiveled upright.
 9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a finished outer panel that is attached to cover an exposed exterior surface of a panel of the container box, including a finished outer side panel and/or toe kick panels that cover the height of the wheels when the container box is installed in the dwelling unit.
 10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising 3-panel corner reinforcing plates used to form rigid corner joints at bottom rear corners of the panels.
 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said roller wheels are of the type having height adjustment to allow alignment of casework components with adjacent components.
 12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a countertop leveling device provided between a pre-installed lower casework component and a counter top.
 13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first-mentioned container box with pre-assembled interior casework components for the wall space of the dwelling unit is combined with one or more other modular container box systems, including: (a) another container box with pre-assembled casework components forming an L-angled side and/or an open half-height or full-height system on an opposite-walled side of the dwelling space; (b) a half-height container box with pre-assembled casework components for a half-height system of upper or lower casework components; and (c) a pre-fabricated floor layer dimensioned to fit within the finished positions of two or three-sided container boxes.
 14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the container box is formed as a half-height container box for more efficient packing in a typical freight shipping container.
 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the rear wall of a container box is formed as a half-height section combined with a vertically slidable section that can be moved to the desired vertical height for mounting upper casework components in the dwelling unit.
 16. The system according to claim 14, wherein two half-height container boxes are fastened together front-to-front without front cover panels for delivery, and are separated for installation in respective positions in the dwelling space.
 17. A method for pre-assembly of interior casework components for a wall space of a dwelling unit comprising the steps of: providing a container box formed as a rigid container shell in a quadrangular shape of predetermined vertical height, horizontal width, and depth dimensions that are selected to fit through a standard minimum door opening size of a dwelling unit, said rigid container shell having a quadrangular interior space formed by a horizontal bottom panel, a pair of spaced-apart upright side panels, a horizontal top panel, a rear backing panel, and a removable front cover panel which are joined together by fastener members at joints between respective facing edges of the panels; providing at least a front pair and a back pair of roller wheels spaced apart and mounted at respective corners of a bottom surface of the horizontal bottom panel to enable the pre-assembled system to be moved for shipping, delivery and installation in the dwelling unit; and pre-assembling a plurality of interior casework components for the wall space of the dwelling unit in the interior space of the rigid container shell.
 18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of installing the container box in a permanent position along an intended wall space so as to become an integral part in the dwelling unit.
 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said rigid container shell is dimensionally sized to allow passage through a standard minimum door opening size in dwelling unit of 3′-0″ width and 6′-8″ height, or to fit through a 2′-9″ width and 6′-6″ height of a minimum door opening size in renovations where existing door frames may be in place.
 20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of combining said first-mentioned container box with pre-assembled interior casework components for a wall space of a dwelling unit with one or more other modular container box systems, including: (a) another container box with pre-assembled casework components forming an L-angled side and/or an open half-height or full-height system on an opposite-walled side of the dwelling space; (b) a half-height container box with pre-assembled casework components for a half-height system of upper or lower casework components; and (c) a pre-fabricated floor layer dimensioned to fit within the finished positions of two or three-sided container boxes. 